Mother shields peodophile — Stepdad caged 30 years for habitual rape of girl (aged 12)
A cold-blooded stepfather has been handed a 30-year jail term for habitually raping his 12-year-old stepdaughter, in a case that also exposed the child’s mother for allegedly trying to cover up the horrific abuse to protect her man. Bulawayo Magistrate Taurai Manwere sent the 45-year-old man, who cannot be named to protect the victim’s identity, to the slammer.
The victim, now suffering from PTSD and complex traumatic syndrome, also disclosed that four other unnamed people had sexually abused her.
The court heard harrowing details of how the serial assaults began in January 2024. The Grade 4 girl was left in the accused’s care while her mother was at work. Prosecutor Nomthandazo Mafu detailed how the man lured the girl into the bedroom, had unprotected sex with her, and then issued chilling threats to ensure her silence. This depraved cycle was allegedly repeated in January and May 2025, with a fourth assault happening when the man dragged the minor into a bush during a trip to Inyathi in June 2025.
The child finally cracked and disclosed the abuse on 8 June 2025 during a Social Welfare interview. A social worker immediately flagged the case, leading to the stepdad’s arrest.
In a stunning twist, the complainant’s mother faced the heat in court. When grilled on why she delayed reporting the matter, she claimed a sudden leg pain forced her to return home. Mafu challenged her, suggesting that fear, confusion, or misplaced loyalty to her husband was the real reason. Shockingly, the court heard the mother had even tried to intimidate the victim during a previous hearing, forcing the magistrate to intervene. Social Welfare has since separated the child from her for safety reasons.
Mafu strongly argued that the mother’s testimony was biased, highlighting that the child’s severe abdominal pains were consistent with repeated assaults. Magistrate Manwere condemned the stepdad, stating he had betrayed his role as a protector. He found the accused guilty, noting the child’s rock-solid consistency in her testimony and the vivid details she provided, including how the rapist wiped her with a cloth after the assaults.
“He exploited her vulnerability,” Manwere declared, adding that the fact the offense happened in an environment where the victim should have felt safe led to a high degree of trauma.
“Hence, the sentence of 30 years is appropriate,” Mafu said. *_-B-Metro_*
Some men buy
